A Nation Divided Against Itself Can Not Stand! Part 1

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Americans, change, Conservatives, constitution, Cruz, democrats, divisions, election 2016, Founders, history, Liberals, obama, Republicans, Trump

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

It’s written in the Bible (Mark 3:24-25), and it is the foundation of one of President Abraham Lincoln’s most important speeches.

On June 16, 1858 more than 1,000 delegates met in the Springfield, Illinois, statehouse for the Republican State Convention. At 5:00 p.m. they chose Abraham Lincoln as their candidate for the U.S. Senate, running against Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. At 8:00 p.m. Lincoln delivered this address to his Republican colleagues in the Hall of Representatives. The title reflects part of the speech’s introduction, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” a concept familiar to Lincoln’s audience as a statement by Jesus recorded in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). House Divided Speech, Springfield, Illinois, June 16, 1858. Read more HERE.

Decades later, running on a platform that publicly declared his intention to “fundamentally change America,” against the wishes of millions of Americans, President Obama has succeeded in is goal to piece by piece dismantle and disrespect the very foundation of our nation: our Constitution and the rule of law.

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

A Historical background via Obama the Great Divider, by J. Robert Smith

 “Throughout our nation’s history, division has been the rule; unity, the exception.  That goes back to the Revolution.  When it was clear to the Founders and outraged colonists that the British had no interest in redressing their grievances, they elected to divide, to fight for independence.

“Lucky for us and the world that they chose to do so. 

“Today, many Americans aren’t acquainted with the fact that colonists weren’t unanimous for independence.  A sizeable minority — Tories — backed the Crown.  They supported British troops and some fought alongside them. 

“The nation’s early, formative political era was marked by sharp divisions.  Federalists versus Jeffersonians.  Pro-Jackson versus Anti-Jackson factions.  Disputes over slavery were ongoing.  There was a whiskey rebellion and another war with the British.

“By the mid 1800s, the nation divided into sections and fought a civil war.  That, assuredly, was a tragic division.  620,000 military casualties, north and south, say so.  A ravaged South and a depleted North say so, too. 

“But as Lincoln stated, the war came, despite efforts at reconciliation.  The good that resulted from the war was the abolition of slavery.  And though it would take another hundred years, and yet more divisions and trials, abolition set African-Americans on the path to gaining their full God-given rights.  

“In the 20^th Century, Americans divided about other wars as well.  World Wars I and II, Vietnam and the Iraq War.  Toward the end, they divided about the Cold War.  

“And they’ve divided about the New Deal, the Fair Deal, The Great Society and the Reagan Revolution.  They’ve divided culturally, starting in the 1960s, over drugs, sex and rock and roll.  They’ve divided over abortion.

“As we look back over the long arc of the nation’s history, we see that from divisions came resolutions.  Freedom, more often than not, was advanced.  Our rights better secured.  Our nation, strengthened.   

“We live in a time of momentous divisions.  Many of us will not live to see the resolutions completely.  Since the early part of the 20^th Century, a great conflict has not only been playing out abroad, but at home, between statism and freedom. 

“At home, the statists – call them progressives, liberals or leftists – have worked diligently to advance government, to centralize authority in a political elite and bureaucracy and to, thereby, abridge the rights of the individual.  They dismiss the original intent that undergirds the Constitution, claiming a right to make interpretations that are frequently aimed at pressing their causes and increasing their power.  Many disdain our values, faith and traditions.

“Where shall we find common ground with the statists?  Compromise?  Compromise must invariably lead to less, not more, freedom.  And wasn’t that tried by our parents’ and grandparents’ generations?  Aren’t we, in part, struggling against a looming tyranny – albeit a soft tyranny – because of the good will and accommodations of our predecessors? 

Though ideological opponents, these two responsible leaders were also friends.

“Note, too, that overseas, in the 20^th Century and now, tyrants, established or aspiring, all sought or seek unity.  Unity under their rule in the service of the state.  Inevitably, they use force to achieve that end.  Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Pol Pot and an assortment of lesser dictators all bullied, imprisoned, maimed or killed millions who failed to unite with their will. 

“Today, the Castro brothers are still at it.  Hugo Chavez is attempting it in Venezuela.  The mullahs are at it in Iran.  Kim Jong-Il has been at it in North Korea.  So are the Chinese.  Putin isn’t far from reasserting unity in service to the Russian state. 

“In our nation, we are fortunate that the Founders had great insight into human nature and the wisdom to arrange our government in ways that divided and authority.   They instituted checks and balances to thwart the tyranny of any faction, or combination of factions, to impose unity on us. 

“In the last ninety years, the barriers erected by the Founders to protect us from the tyranny of unity have been breached.  But they still stand.  It falls to us to repair and strengthen those barriers.  To reclaim the full measure of freedom which is our birthright and was intended us by the Founders.  And pass on that freedom to our children and theirs.” Read more HERE

If you listen to both Hillary and Bernie, they are so angry, so victimized, so … dead set on the next chapter in the self-destruction of America, that cannot or will not change course. Even the “driveby” media has nothing good to say, nothing hopeful, nothing uplifting to point to in anything going on. MORE coming soon.

 

 

 

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Are there now Two Americas?

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Big Government, contradictions, Democrat, Enterprise America, history, Republican, think it though, truth, War on Poverty, welfare, Welfare America

Two Americas

By Greg Richards
Why did it take until 100 years after the Civil War, until 1964, to pass a Civil Rights Act? Because the Democratic Party would not take its boot off the neck of the black man until Martin Luther King made the black vote a political force. Dedicated to being in power above all else, the Democrats had to make a U-turn on their race policy in the 1960s and join the Republicans in passing the Civil Rights Act because they realized that after the black vote was counted, they were not going to win any more national elections without it.

But there was a problem. How was the Democratic Party going to overcome its deplorable record on race? It was the party of slavery, segregation, lynching, and the Klan.

What to do now? Get back in front of history with comprehensive rather than palliative welfare — the Great Society. The Democratic Party would become the friend of the black community by giving it things it wasn’t asking for, but were hard to resist.

But there is a big problem with comprehensive welfare: it destroys the role of men in the community and this was disproportionately true of the black community. There is nothing worse than taking away a person’s mission in life, making that person unnecessary and thus unwanted. That is evil. And today we see the results of that evil.

Single mothers can cope, but the family as a force in the community cannot flourish without men as a responsible presence. Without men, there is nobody to show boys how to behave, have someone to look up to and emulate, to set them straight when they go off the path, to show them how to be men. This has been true of every civilization in history.

But over the last 50 years, the Democratic Party wiped out the black family by wiping out the role of black men in order to stay in power. The black family had withstood 250 years of slavery and 100 years of Jim Crow, but was destroyed by 50 years of Liberalism. In 1960, the illegitimacy rate in the black community was 30%. Now it is 78%. And as Star Parker has pointed out, there is nothing unique about blacks. Whites are now where blacks were in 1960 and are on the same path.

What is the result of this devastation? There are now two Americas — Welfare America and Enterprise America.

The Democratic Party is the party of Welfare America and the Republican Party is the part of Enterprise America. Enterprise America is that part of America that is hands-on in its affairs. That does not mean the top managers of big business, which either out of necessity or out of temperament, in many cases cozy up to Big Government. There is also the billionaire effect, where billionaires, unaware of the wellspring of their own success, do not preach what they practice and support Welfare America for reasons of social standing.

Let’s compare the cultural attributes of Enterprise America and Welfare America.

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Which Pledge Works?

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adaptation, America, Arabic, citizens, English, history, Socialism, The Pledge of Allegiance, WE THE PEOPLE

The Pledge of Allegiance

I read an article today about the children in a high school in Colorado reciting the Pledge in Arabic, and replacing “under God” with under Allah. It reminded me of the history of the Pledge, so I thought I’d remind us all.

“The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth’s Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.

In its original form it read:

“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

In 1923, the words, “the Flag of the United States of America” were added. At this time it read:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “under God,” creating the 31-word pledge we say today. Bellamy’s daughter objected to this alteration. Today it reads:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Section 4 of the Flag Code states:

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”, should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.”

The original Bellamy salute, first described in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, who authored the original Pledge, began with a military salute, and after reciting the words “to the flag,” the arm was extended toward the flag.

At a signal from the Principal the pupils, in ordered ranks, hands to the side, face the Flag. Another signal is given; every pupil gives the flag the military salute — right hand lifted, palm downward, to a line with the forehead and close to it. Standing thus, all repeat together, slowly, “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” At the words, “to my Flag,” the right hand is extended gracefully, palm upward, toward the Flag, and remains in this gesture till the end of the affirmation; whereupon all hands immediately drop to the side. The Youth’s Companion, 1892




Shortly thereafter, the pledge was begun with the right hand over the heart, and after reciting “to the Flag,” the arm was extended toward the Flag, palm-down.

In World War II, the salute too much resembled the Nazi salute, so it was changed to keep the right hand over the heart throughout.”

The original pledge was designed as a Socialist tool, but it was also made to be adaptable to any nation. It may well be that we, as Americans, will have to lay claim to the version, the adaptation of the Pledge we want. As for me and my house, we will cling to our God and our guns and the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America under God. As a Vet, my oath never expired, so that, too, continues to be my oath! It is up to us, the People of this nation to DEFINE the nation we want.

Related reading:

• What’s Conservative about the Pledge of Allegiance?
• Resolution Revolution: Making a Better America by Being a Better Me
• Is America a Democracy or a Republic?

What’s Next

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baby boomers, history, identity, NOTHING is FREE, self-reliance

The pundits are scrambling to explain what happened Election Day in America. Dozens of articles written to analyze the anemic turnout, the technology flop, and the “Evangelical flu” that spelled defeat for perhaps the most qualified candidate to run in decades! There are dozens of reasons for Obama’s victory, but the most significant is … HISTORY!

Until the time of FDR, Americans prided themselves on SELF-RELIANCE! HISTORY! Americans worked as long as they could, then families took care of them until they passed. People did NOT retire, they just did something less strenuous. It was understood adults worked. Adults took care of their homes, their family, and their belongings. If they wanted a new car or TV, they saved their earnings until they had enough. Then, and only then, did they make the purchase. HISTORY! It was general knowledge that NOTHING is FREE in this life! True, there wasn’t the constant barrage of temptations from TV and movies for more stuff, and there was a greater sense of “neighbor.

Some pundits explain Gov. ROMNEY’S loss in terms of identity, his inability to “connect” with the average person. With the inexcusable help of the mainstream media emphasizing the negative (which is always easier to believe than the truth,) Romney was billed as an “evil” Bain Capitalist – an image he was never able to overcome while the President, though he hobnobs with the Hollywood elite, never played baseball or bowled, was raised & mentored by card-carrying Communists, was billed as the guy who empathizes with the downtrodden and poor. Go figure!

This Election was billed by some as a choice in the direction America should go in the years to come. So exactly what does the re-election of Barack Obama indicate about our true direction? 

America must decide … and quickly … who she will be in the decades to come. Will we permit an arrogant, elitists government to pick away at our individual liberties as in the recent years? Or will we …

• Identify our priorities. I believe we must back up & regroup, looking inwardly first and get our own hearts, mind, and goals situated. Surely there are a handful of issues that outweigh the others. Prioritize!!!
• Overlook our less vital differences. What blew this election was our inability or unwillingness to organize. It is actually a characteristic of “conservatism” that we must overcome if we are to take back any ground. Evangelicals didn’t get behind Romney because he’s Mormon. Libertarians were reluctant to get behind him because he wasn’t far enough to the Right. Too many Americans bought the lies of the media that fractured the “anyone but Obama” crowd. We MUST get past our differences. We MUST accept there is no such thing as PERFECTION!
• FOCUS on our goal of re-establishing our Constitution as THE rule of Law in the land. The single most fundamental issue to my mind is the re-establishment of the Constitution as the “absolute” Law of the Land! This must be the driving force behind our work, our prayers, and our words.
• Raise up leaders from the local level to rise through the ranks (We must train the next generation for the battles to come). How many of us have never missed an opportunity to vote? How familiar are we with those running in local elections – for city council, school board, etc? THIS is where we can start. Locate the younger men and women with a passion for our nation and encourage them. I’ve met many young people to understand what’s going on. When I hear them complain that a candidate is too old, too left, too moderate, I say then YOU run! if you are not satisfied with those seeking office, consider yourself! Are you willing t make the sacrifice?

As I see it, it is us, the “baby boomers!” We messed things up in the 60’s by tearing down all manner of authority and leaving a wave of irresponsibility in our wake. We are reaping the rebellion we sowed! It’s on us, my fellow boomers, to do all within our power to turn this great ship around, or, at the very least, stop the downward spiral! Can we do it? I am most certain we can, but we must want to …

“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
The Declaration of Independence

Church And State (via Samuel at Gilgal)

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Bible, Christianity, constitution, denominations, education, freedom, God, government, Herman Cain, history, justice, philosophy, politics, religion-and-spirituality, separation of church and state, United States, united-states-constitution, worldview

Quoting R.C. Sproul: In America, we have a long history of valuing the concept of the separation of church and state. This idea historically referred to a division of labors between the church and the civil magistrate. However, initially both the church and the state were seen as entities ordained by God and subject to His governance. In that sense, the state was considered to be an entity that was “under God.” What has happened in the past few d … Read More

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For those who know, no explanation is necessary … (via blogsense-by-barb)

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Afghanistan, America, American, american-conservative, american-heroes, american-history, american-interests, american-moral-character, american-morality, articles, blog, blogsense, building-character, character-training, chinook, Christianity, citizenship, committment, conservative, conservative-opinion, courage-2, courage-of-convictions, culture-2, current-events, desert, do-something, education, election-2012, events, faith-2, freedom-2, frustration, get-involved, gratitude, helping-others, history, hope-change, human-nature, human-rights, IEDs, Inspiration Monday, inspirational, issues-2, leadership-2, liberal, life, life-lessons, lifestyle, limited-government-2, military-appreciation, military-veterans, moral-character-2, musings, news, opinion, parenting-2, patriotism-2, people-2, politics, Republican, Rick Santorum, SEALS, seniors, service-to-others, special ops, spiritual, tea-party-2, term-limits-2, the-best-of-america, thoughts, toddlers, uncategorized, us-constritution, us-military-veterans, videos, WE THE PEOPLE, womens-issues, writing

"For those who know,no explanation is necessary.For those who don't,no explanation is possible." Our "mission" in the Middle East conflicts is as vague as President Obama's stand on … ANY issue. There seems to be no goal, no clearly defined objective, and without that, how can those actively involved (or we) know if progress is being made? I'm sure I'm not the only one around here with military contacts, and this is the consensus of the opinion … Read More

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Live Free or Die! (via blogsense-by-barb)

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"figuratively speaking", America, american-conservative, american-history, american-interests, articles, blog, blogsense, character-training, citizenship, Congress, conservative, conservative-opinion, creativity, culture-2, current-events, Democrat, education, election-2012, events, faith-2, Gen John Stark, gratitude, history, history lessons, hope-change, human-nature, human-rights, inspirational, leadership-2, liberal, life, life-lessons, lifestyle, LIVE FREE or DIE, Mark Steyn, military-appreciation, musings, news, opinion, parenting-2, people-2, politics, Republican, Samuel Adams, seniors, spiritual, tea-party-2, thoughts, WE THE PEOPLE, womens-issues, writing

"When I first moved to New Hampshire, where this appears on our license plates, I assumed General Stark had said it before some battle or other—a bit of red meat to rally the boys for the charge; a touch of the old Henry V-at-Agincourt routine. But I soon discovered that the general had made his famous statement decades after the war, in a letter regretting that he would be unable to attend a dinner. And in a curious way I found that even more im … Read More

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A Hard Truth ~ Each American is Responsible! (via blogsense-by-barb)

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Abraham Lincoln, accountability, Albert Einstein, America, American, american-conservative, american-history, american-interests, american-moral-character, Americans, articles, Big Government, Billy Graham, blog, blogsense, character-training, Christianity, citizenship, committment, Congress, conservative, conservative-opinion, courage-2, courage-of-convictions, creativity, culture-2, current-events, Democrat, do-something, education, Eleanor Roosevelt, election-2012, events, faith-2, freedom-2, George Washington, gratitude, Helen Keller, history, hope-change, human-nature, human-rights, humor, individuals, inspirational, Jesus, leadership-2, liberal, life, life-lessons, lifestyle, limited-government-2, military-appreciation, moral-character-2, musings, news, opinion, parenting-2, patriotism-2, people, people-2, poetry-2, politics, Republican, responsibility, Ronald Reagan, seniors, spiritual, tea-party-2, term-limits-2, Thomas Paine, thoughts, uncategorized, us-constritution, WE THE PEOPLE, womens-issues, writing

All great change in America begins at the dinner table." ~ Ronald Reagan ~ What is more central to a civilization, a culture than the family unit? The strength and design of the family defines the culture, and, as such, its future. What is a Family? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family is “a group of two or more people who reside together and who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption” (U.S. Census Bureau). Though this definition se … Read More

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The Issue Of Sovereignty (via Samuel at Gilgal)

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alexander-hamilton, barackobama, border security, constitution, Founding Fathers, freedom, George Washington, government, history, Independence, national-defense, patriotism, politics, sovereignty, terrorism, Texas, united-state, united-states-constitution

Quoting Steven Groves: The United States is a sovereign nation. Sovereignty is a simple idea: the United States is an independent nation, governed by the American people, that controls its own affairs. The American people adopted the Constitution and created the government. They elect their representatives and make their own laws. The Founding Fathers understood that if America does not have sovereignty, it does not have independence. If a foreig … Read More

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Eastern Rumblings Not Caused By A Quake? (via Samuel at Gilgal)

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comedy-2, conservative, culture, east-coast-of-the-united-states, facebook, Founding Fathers, freedom, government, history, news, politics, richmond-virginia, secular-progressive, socialist-left, United States, Virginia, washington-d-c, washington-national-cathedral

Wouldn’t surprise me a bit!!!!!!

There is a reliable rumor going around that says the rumblings we felt on Tuesday in the eastern United States were not caused by an earthquake. Instead, they were the result of the combined energy of our Founding Fathers rolling over in their graves. … Read More

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